Bo, left, and Jim, morning show DJs on Lone Star 92.5 FM
I drive about 60 miles round trip in my daily commute to and from work, and I almost always have the radio on. The past couple of mornings, while flipping from station to station to find something I wanted to listen to, I have ended up on Lone Star 92.5 FM, the classic rock station, which features Bo and Jim as its morning show DJs.
On Wednesday morning, Bo and Jim started talking about Chaz Bono getting the boot from Dancing With the Stars. When they started talking, my immediate reaction was to begin bristling with indignation, because I expected to hear so-called “jokes” and crass comments about Chaz’s gender identity. But I was surprised. Instead, Bo and Jim referred to Chaz throughout as a male, using proper — male — pronouns the whole time.
The DJs did make fun of Chaz’s dancing. But considering that he was on a dancing show, his talent as a dancer — or lack thereof — was fair game.
But this morning was a different thing altogether.
This morning, Bo and Jim started talking about a 7-year-old girl, Bobby Montoya of Colorado, who was born biologically male but who identifies and, with the support of her mother, lives as a female. Bobby wanted to join Girl Scouts but was rejected because, as the Girl Scouts worker said, “he has boy parts.” Girl Scout officials higher up in the hierarchy quickly stepped in, said the first person misunderstood the policies, and that Bobby is more than welcome to join Girl Scouts. You can read the story here on Huffington Post.
Bo and Jim, in talking about the story, chose to refer to Bobby throughout as a boy and with male pronouns, which was bad enough. But what really set me off was when they said, basically, “You know this kid is going to get beat up all the time. Even the girls are going to beat him up.” They said it as a joke, an attempt to get laughs. And that is unacceptable.
If you don’t understand gender identity issues, ok. A lot of people don’t. If you have trouble with the pronouns, again ok. Even the most understanding and supportive of us slip up there sometimes.
But to make a joke out of the possibility of a child getting beaten up? Surely even the most clueless among us should understand that is a line you should never cross.
As soon as I got to work, I sent an email to both Bo and Jim, letting them know I heard what they said and that I was very upset by it. I suggested they sit down and talk to some trans people who have been victims of violence. I suggested that they attend the Transgender Day of Remembrance happening Nov. 20 at the Interfaith Peace Chapel. And I let them know I would be posting a blog on the Dallas Voice website about their comments.
Within minutes, I received this response from Jim:
“Thank you for listening this morning. Sorry you were offended, that was not our intention to upset you or any of the transgender population. We are an entertainment show not 60 minutes and in an effort to be ‘funny’ we may pushed the envelope to far. In the future, we’ll try and be more sensitive to gender related issues.
Jim White
The Bo and Jim Show”
While I appreciate Jim’s quick response, I am not satisfied with his apology. I doubt many of our readers are, either. And if you want to make your opinions known, you can contact Lone Star 92.5 by phone at 214-866-8000. Lone Star’s program director is Don Davis. Email him at dondavis@clearchannel.com or call him directly at 214-866-8610. And you can email Jim at jim@lonestar925.com, and Bo at bo@lonestar925.com.
How you choose to express yourself is up to you, of course. But I think we should remember that rather than just attack them and possibly create an enemy, perhaps we should work to educate them and create an ally. Afterall, education is key to understanding, and understanding is key to a better world for all of us.
Thank you for your concern regarding this broadcast and the implications it may have for transgender children. TransYouth Family Allies stands ready to represent our families in situations such as this. If our assistance is needed please contact me at kimp@imatyfa.org
We can only educate one person at a time. Maybe this email will make them stop and think before they speak that way about any child, not just trans kids. Trans Youth Family Allies saved my kids life, as well as educated my community on all things trans.
Thanks for speaking up for our kids!
no reply from these ignorant gabbers?
Now if we can get the age of consent down to where it should be. Just let the kids decide,wouldn’t that be Fabulous.
Bobby evidently was encouraged to be a transvestite at an early age.
I was upset one morning listening to these two talk about transgender people. As a transgender woman I found their discussion offensive and offered on their facebook page and in na email my services. I suggested at my own personal risk they interview me on air. I never heard back from them. Their apology Tammye? It was for there benefit. They have no wish to become enlightened when making fun of other people makes them such a great living. But thanks Tammye I do appreciate your effort:)
Thank you Tammye, that was a great article about the incident. I agree there should be more pressure put on them to recognize and rectify their mistake on-air. Are you familiar with the KRXQ Sacramento incident?
Im weighing in a little late on this one but I agree with Kelli…they apologized to avoid the wrath of the DV. Their excuse that their show is “entertainment” is BULLSHIT at its best and pitiful.
With one fell swoop these two persons hiding behind a microphone accomplished the following: (1) that in 2011 we have much more work ahead in combating transphobia. (2) the double standard hypocrisy that is prevalent precisely to support a doomed-to-fail patriarchal paradigm that says its acceptable for girls to become boys but not the other way around (Chaz) (3) that violence against transgender persons, including vulnerable children is to be expected and by extension permissible. (4) that transgender persons continue to be the butt of jokes…the source of fodder for trash-entainment over the public airwaves.
If there existed no such thing as the TDOR, an apology would suffice. It is one thing to associate justifiable violence against violent criminals who pose an illegal threat to life and limb. It is another to associate a medical and legal gender transition that at worst fails to meet someone’s sphere of vision by failing the “eye-candy” test with the implied deserving of violence.
Bo and Jim: you need to lose your jobs. Why? It’s ok to poke fun at innocent embarrassing gaffs and behavior. It is FAR from ok to give a tacit “green light” to violence targeted at anyone..especially children. Clearly your intent was never to be funny…no humor in getting “beat up”. Your intent was entertainment alright….just as the Romans called gladiator battles the source of entertainment.
Do the right and honorable thing: resign. You know what you guys did: It wasn’t enough to say “the child is at high risk”. No…you did much worse. You created a hostile expectancy (future tense) by stating that “he will get beat up…by boys and girls”. This isn’t about strike 1,2,3. It’s about…you “hit the umpire”…you’re expelled!
I’m also weighing in a bit late on this, but aside from these 2 douchebags – I’d like to add the following; as an avid listener to Dallas’ own Kidd Kraddick in the morning show (and I’ve listened since high school, so a good 15 years) but in the past several years, I’ve noticed their snide “gay remarks” have become a little much, which saddens me, that even though they have a gay cast member, their excessive use of gay epitats and stereotypes, are getting a bit old, especially when we’re referred to as “those guys”. maybe I’m being extremely over sensitive, but in the age where things like this are being said on the radio, when people are listening, a lot of times with children in the car, I don’t find any of these remarks “comical” in the name of entertainment, to me, it’s just adding to the hatred. I’ve written a couple of letters to the morning show, one of which was addressed on the air – with people allowed to call in an put in their 2 cents – I was basically told to quit being a bitchy baby, and if it bothered me that bad, maybe I should change the station. again, I’m a long time listener, but there have been numerous times lately when I enough is enough, and I do change the channel, before I explode…and I’m not directing it at everyone on the show mainly just the host – the other funny thing, they all live in close proximatey to the gayborhood….who knows – main point – keep your opinions to yourself, especially if you’re in broadcast communications, because not everyone appreciates, agrees with, or values your views
Two things that never belong in the same joke…violence and comedy. Being black is a beautiful thing, and so is being brown, white, or shades in-between. Creation has assigned us into a family for extended-family support…not to divide. Being born black has incurred violence…this is not a matter of opinion but of historical fact. Being gay, lesbian, and transgender has also incurred violence. Violence is the recipe for death.
If it isn’t OK to juxtaposition race with violence as ingredients in comedy, then it likewise isn’t OK to juxtaposition sexuality or gender as comedy. By doing so one isn’t merely minimizing the violence but is in fact condoning, enabling, and encouraging it. A microphone emitting sound waves through public airwaves results in [broad]casting,not [narrow]casting. It isn’t OK to make racial, sexual, or gender stereotypical jokes in the workplace because it is a thinly veiled attempt at making same the butt of jokes. So to when broadcasters do the same. Such power begets responsibility. The advocating of violence even if through comedy is an example of irresponsibility. If broadcasters failed to see this before spewing forth hate, then they need to fail also in keeping their jobs. As a transgender female, I demand no less.
I think is insensitive to talk like that, but people need to take it as it is and not make a frenzy of it,take it as what it is,a joke and nothing more,there are more far more important things in this planet,if you are offended all you have to do is not to listen,live this guys alone,I don’t think they will do it again